Jonathan's Landing Cares distributes $130,000 in gifts, grants

PROVIDED PHOTO
Pictured is the Jonathan’s Landing Cares house rebuilding crew led by team leader Ellen Halligan, kneeling.

Jonathan’s Landing Cares, Inc., a Jupiter based 501(c)3 charitable corporation, recently concluded its 2012-2013 activities with the announcement that more than $130,000 had been distributed to local community support groups.

Acting through its Gifts and Grants Committee, the group evaluated “wish lists” from agencies seeking financial aid, arranged site visits, and then allocated funds raised through member contributions and its annual Jubilee Gala held in January of each year.

In all, some 26 local organizations were awarded grants this year.

Grant Recipients include:

Alzheimer’s Community Care: Day Care scholarships for Jupiter area families

Jupiter Elementary School: Funding for an after school tutoring program

Paws for Liberty: Sponsorship of team training for disabled veterans

West Jupiter Community Center: Funding for Summer Program scholarships

Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches: Sponsorship of Jupiter area students

Thelma Pittman Jupiter Pre-School: Funding for Structural Repairs to the school building

Although the ability to provide financial assistance to needy groups is important to the organization, the time and effort devoted to their community by the many volunteers at Jonathan’s Landing is what the members are most proud of.

At last count, more than 4,000 hours of community service to local agencies and projects was generated annually by Jonathan’s Landing volunteers.

“Helping the needy through volunteerism remains the number one mission of Jonathans Landing Cares,” said Cathy Higgins, a trustee and coordinator of volunteer activities.

An example is the “packing day” held in conjunction with the Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, of Lake Worth. Jonathan’s Landing Cares volunteers packed more than 100 “We Care” packages with toiletries, snacks and personal notes of encouragement for shipment to a Fort Pierce based Military Police unit deployed to Afghanistan.

The Jupiter charity and its members contributed some $4,500 to offset the costs of the supplies and mailing expenses. Most recently, 18 JL Cares volunteers spent a Saturday painting and performing badly-needed repairs to the home of a deeply appreciative elderly Jupiter resident.